In light of a Salmonella outbreak in six provinces, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) are warning consumers to “sanitize areas that come into contact with raw pet food” and “wash [their] hands after handling raw pet food, interacting with cattle or raw-fed dogs.”

The public health advisory follows the recent discovery of an extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Salmonella outbreak, with at least 40 confirmed cases across six provinces.

Health Canada and PHAC have teamed up with provincial public health partners and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to investigate the outbreak. According to a Nov. 11 PHAC notice, the six provinces affected are Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and PEI.

Of the 40 cases, 13 have resulted in hospitalization. Forty-three per cent of the confirmed cases are in children below the age of six. No deaths have been reported amongst the people affected. However, this strain of Salmonella has also been found in sick cattle and dogs, some of whom have died from the infection.

The investigation has pinpointed two sources: exposure to raw pet food and contact with cattle, particularly calves. As the investigation is currently ongoing, further sources may be identified.

PHAC stresses upon the importance of safe food handling practices and handwashing when in contact with cattle, dogs who are fed raw pet food, and their environments.